Tampa Bay Rays announce trio of managerial finalists

Narrowing down its initial list of candidates, the Tampa Bay Rays have announced a trio of finalists in the running to fill the managerial vacancy left in the wake of longtime skipper Joe Maddon’s departure earlier this offseason, signaling a potential end in sight for an organization that is very much in flux this winter.

In addition to lingering questions over its stadium situation, Tampa Bay not only lost Maddon, but also front office guru Andrew Friedman, who helped turn the team into a perennial contender. One of the youngest executives in the game, Friedman left the Rays to become the Los Angeles Dodgers’ president of baseball operations last month.

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Among the finalists are Kansas City Royals bench coach Don Wakamatsu, former big league outfielder Raul Ibanez and Cleveland Indians bullpen coach Kevin Cash, according to Marc Topkins of the Tampa Bay Times.

Among the notable absences on the list of finalists is Tampa Bay bench coach Dave Martinez, who was considered, by many, to be a leading candidate for the opening given his prominent role with the organization in recent years. Rays president of baseball operations Matt Silverman commented on the decision regarding Martinez after the finalists were announced Friday.

"“The decision on Dave Martinez was especially difficult. He’s played a key role in our organization’s evolution, and he’s done all he can to put himself in position to be a manager. In the end, we determined that our clubhouse would best benefit from a new voice that will add to our already strong and cohesive culture.”"

According to Topkins, the finalists will be brought back in for more interviews during the week of Dec. 1, meaning at least one more week of uncertainty is in the cards for the team, which traded reliever Joel Peralta to the Dodgers earlier this week in one of its first notable moves of the offseason. A decision on the managerial situation is expected before this year’s Winter Meetings.

Wakamatsu, who managed the Seattle Mariners in 2009 and 2010, is the only member of the group with big league managerial experience. Ibanez was on the Royals’ active big league roster last season, and many were surprised to see his name included on the Rays’ initial list of 10 candidates. Cash was considered a front-runner for both the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros managerial vacancies earlier this winter.